THE MURDER OF THE DUKE OF SUFFOLK (+May 5, 1450+). =Source.=--_Paston Letters_, vol. i., No. 93. +Right worshipful Sir+, I recommend me to you, and am right sorry of that I shall say, and so washed this little bill with sorrowful tears, that on these ye shall read it. As on Monday next after May day there come tidings to London that on Thursday before the Duke of Suffolk come unto the coast of Kent full near Dover with his two ships and a little spinner; the which spinner he sent with certain letters to certain of his trusted men unto Calais wards, to know how he should be received; and with him met a ship called _Nicolas of the Tower_, with other ships waiting on him, and by them that were in the spinner the master of the _Nicolas_ had knowledge of the duke's coming. And when he espied the duke's ships, he sent forth his boat to know what they were, and the duke himself spake to them, and said, he was by the King's commandment sent to Calais wards, etc. And they said he must speak with their master. And so he, with two or three of his men, went forth with them in their boat to the _Nicolas_; and when he come, the master bade him "Welcome, Traitor," as men say; and further the master desired to know if the shipmen would hold with the duke, and they sent word they would not in no wise; and so he was in the _Nicolas_ till Saturday next following. Some say he wrote much things to be delivered to the King, but that is not verily known. He had his confessor with him, etc. And some say he was arraigned in the ship on their manner upon the impeachments and found guilty, etc. Also he asked the name of the ship, and when he knew it, he remembered Stacy that said, if he might escape the danger of the Tower, he should be safe; and then his heart failed him, for he thought he was deceived, and in the sight of all his men he was drawn out of the great ship in to the boat; and there was an axe and a block, and one of the lewdest of the ship bid him lay down his head, and he should be fair fared with and die on a sword; and took a rusty sword, and smote off his head within half a dozen strokes, and took away his gown of russet, and his doublet of velvet mailed, and laid his body on the sands of Dover; and some say his head was set on a pole by it.... And the sheriff of Kent doth watch the body, and sent his under-sheriff to the judges to know what to do, and also to the King what shall be done. CADE'S REBELLION (1450). =Source.=--_Three Fifteenth-Century Chronicles_, pp. 66-68 _and_ 94-99. (Camden Society.) A.--+A Proclamation made by Jack Cade, Captain of the Rebels in Kent.+ These be the points, causes and mischiefs of gathering and assembling of us the King's liege men of Kent, the iiij day of June the year of our Lord +M+iiijcl, the which we trust to Almighty God to remedy, with the help and the grace of God and of our sovereign lord the King, and the poor commons of England, and else we shall die therefore: